Lean Manufacturing Scenario and Role of Pervasive Computing in Indian SMEs

Formal System ◽

Business Environment ◽

Large scale firms have been adopting various management practices to remain competitive in today’s global economy. Lean manufacturing is one such initiative, which significantly improves performance in terms of cost, delivery, quality and flexibility. Although small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a very significant role in overall manufacturing supply network, less is known about the extent to which lean is present in these firms. The present study investigates this issue by exploring the scenario of implementation of lean manufacturing in Indian SMEs. It also examines the constraints, which need to be addressed for real penetration of lean on a wider scale and the role information and communication technologies like pervasive computing play in successful implementation of this initiative. This aspect is considered important as no organization, whether big or small, can afford to neglect it in today’s business environment. The study reveals that although lean manufacturing is not implemented as a formal management initiative in SMEs, its elements could be traced with varying degrees in firms. However, a need is felt to improve upon various identified constraints, so that SMEs are able to implement it as formal system and reap maximum benefits. It is also experienced that IT solutions like pervasive computing help in improving lean manufacturing performance but Indian SMEs in general have not taken considerable initiatives in this direction.

Innovation and Exports of Korean Firms: How Do They Differ by Size and Industry?

Millennial Asia ◽

10.1177/0976399619879875 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 249-271

Author(s):

Wonkyu Shin ◽

Sehwan Oh ◽

Sungho Rho

Keyword(s):

Global Economy ◽

Large Scale ◽

Market Competition ◽

Information And Communications Technology ◽

Firm Level ◽

Innovation Activities ◽

Heterogeneous Effects ◽

Ict Industry ◽

This article examines some of the distinctive characteristics of South Korean firms in relation to their research and development (R&D) and export activities affecting the efforts to retain intellectual property rights (IPR). In particular, this study shows how firms of different sizes (small and medium enterprises: SMEs vs. large-scale enterprises: LEs) tend to hold the ownership of IPR differently. To test the heterogeneous effects of the firms’ innovative capacity, this study utilizes the firm level data of 6,138 Korean firms during 2006–2014. In the years 2006–2014, South Korea concluded free trade agreements (FTAs) with numerous economies and accelerated its market competition and integration into the global economy. Our empirical results found that R&D activities of both SMEs and LEs were active during the period; however, SMEs in particular took a great stride in their patenting and innovation activities. Findings of our article also show that the more companies engaged in export activities, the more actively patents grew. Furthermore, the companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry are more aggressive in patenting activities.

An examination of strategies under the financial tsunami

Industrial Management & Data Systems ◽

10.1108/02635571011087419 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 110 (9) ◽

pp. 1319-1336 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

G.T.S. Ho ◽

K.L. Choy ◽

S.H. Chung ◽

C.H.Y. Lam

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Global Economy ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Business Performance ◽

Business Environment ◽

Content Type ◽

Corporate Strategies ◽

Medium Enterprises ◽

The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the factors, such as the different strategies adopted and the size of the company, that have a significant determining impact on the financial performance of companies in extreme circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThe research target of this paper is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong. This is quantitative research and it is done on a survey basis, which includes hypothesis setting and statistical analysis. In addition, constructive suggestions are given to companies after analyzing the current situation.FindingsIn total, ten factors from four dimensions are determined as the critical strategies for the company to adopt in an uncertain financial situation. The result shows the influence of different factors on return on investment for the companies with different backgrounds.Practical implicationsThe business environment today is full of turbulence and uncertainties; this, along with the fierce global competition, means that manufacturers are all struggling to survive. The financial tsunami that has swept across the global economy is believed to be the most catastrophic in living memory. Therefore, this research will be especially valuable and useful to companies which wish to achieve excellence in business performance in spite of such a global disaster.Originality/valueManufacturers worldwide have suffered badly from the impact of the financial tsunami. The SMEs in Hong Kong are certainly not an exception. However, under the same adverse conditions, some have been able to maintain their stability or even thrive. The findings suggest some specific corporate strategies which will enable companies to survive and remain competitive.

THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE IT&C INDUSTRY – EVIDENCE FROM BUCHAREST

Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis ◽

10.37043/jura.2012.4.1.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Claudia POPESCU ◽

Alexandru GAVRIȘ

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Maximum Growth ◽

Business Environment ◽

Political Crisis ◽

Small Scale ◽

Industrial Growth ◽

Almost Everywhere ◽

Medium Enterprises ◽

The Impact

Despite its peripheral location within the European metropolitan system, Bucharest has significant competitive advantages – large scale market, high-skilled labour pooling, dynamic business environment, institutional capacity, and knowledge organizations. The location of MNCs has enhanced the domestic small-scale entrepreneurship and the emergence of an innovative IT&C cluster. As the world economic crises stroke almost everywhere, in the case of Bucharest it was enhanced by a political crisis which diminished the industrial growth. In this context we focus on the IT small and medium enterprises which, by surviving the crises and developing even more, show clear evidence of strengthening the cluster identity. Based on the two-digit CANE data on employment, the paper analyzes in an empirical way the IT firms from Bucharest between two representative moments: 2007 the year of maximum growth for Romania and 2010. We attempt to identify the factors contributing to the growth of the cluster and to assess the contribution of the cluster to the generation of regional wealth and jobs. The results shows that, despite of the crises, the local entrepreneurship alongside the continuous foreign interest in the local workforce have pulled together an emerging industrial cluster.

Global Perspectives on Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Information Systems ◽

IT and the Transmission of the SME Culture of Nonprofit Theatres

10.4018/978-1-61520-627-8.ch003 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 41-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Julie E. Kendall ◽

Kenneth E. Kendall

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Best Management Practices ◽

Management Practices ◽

Third Space ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Building Relationships ◽

The Third ◽

Information And Communication ◽

It is often assumed in the MIS literature and in practice that only large organizations are capable of transmitting culture and information technology (IT) to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The authors use the framework provided by the metaphor of the third space as proposed by Bhabha (1994 and 1996) to gain insights that refute these popular misconceptions, by demonstrating that dominant powers and former colonies exchange cultural artifacts such as information and communication technologies (ICTs) and best management practices in mutually influential ways. The authors’ research furthers their understanding of the initial relationships (termed mimicry) between small and medium-sized nonprofit theatres and commercial productions (symbolized by Broadway productions) as well as their current and future exchanges facilitated by hybridity in the third space. The authors discover that both groups possess unique cultural competencies that open the door to using Web 2.0 technologies for staging and promoting productions, building relationships with theatre patrons; and numerous other management issues where their expertise can be usefully exchanged.

Business environment and the financial performance of small and medium enterprises: A study of Lagos state, Nigeria

Corporate Ownership and Control ◽

10.22495/cocv12i4c4p7 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 493-505

Author(s):

Andy Titus Okwu

Keyword(s):

Financial Performance ◽

Management Practices ◽

Business Environment ◽

Product Line ◽

Operational Environment ◽

Product Lines ◽

Activity Product ◽

Sole Proprietorship ◽

The financial outcome of an enterprise is perceived to have some relationships with its operational environment. This study analysed the business environment as a correlate of financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as to contribute to environment-enterprise policy mechanisms and regulatory framework, industry and management practices. Relevant definitional criteria and World Bank’s model were adopted to sample 228 SMEs from 456 via judgmental and convenience techniques. Multifactor business-environment questionnaire (MBEQ) was used to elicit responses from SMEs in a field survey. Enterprise type, activity, product line and financial performance were examined. Results showed dominance of sole proprietorship and services SMEs, multi-product lines, and highly positively correlated financial performance and business environment. Consequently, improved SME-friendly business environment was recommended.

Competitive Strategic Management Practices and Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya: A Case of Mombasa County

International Journal of Current Aspects ◽

10.35942/ijcab.v3ivi.85 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (VI) ◽

pp. 193-215

Author(s):

Rukia Ali Mohammed ◽

James Rugami

Keyword(s):

Strategic Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Management Practice ◽

Central Business District ◽

Business Environment ◽

Business Strategies ◽

Primary Data ◽

Business District ◽

The competitive business environment has forced organizations to engage in complex business decisions which require competitive strategic management. According to Haines (2016), Competitive Strategic management practices involves the formulation and implementation of the major goals and initiatives taken by a company's top management on behalf of its owners, based on consideration of resources and an assessment of the internal and external environments in which the organization competes. Competitive Strategic management practice is an important practice as it gives a strong influence towards firms’ success. Due to the ever changing business environment, small and medium enterprises struggle to operate, manage and improve their businesses efficiently in order to deliver quality products and services consistently and on time. This is because in most enterprises the application of business strategies requires a host of expensive and time consuming changes both in the organizational culture and structure hence many owner / managers have had to overlook for some necessary and critical business strategies. The study will be guided by four objectives; to establish the effect of Cost leadership strategy on the performance of small and medium enterprises in Mombasa central business district, to determine the effect of Differentiation strategy on the performance of small and medium enterprises in Mombasa central business district, to establish the effect of focus strategy on the performance of small and medium enterprises in Mombasa central business district and to determine the effect of product innovation on the performance of small and medium enterprises in Mombasa central business district. The study will be anchored on three theories namely; Resource-based theory, game theory and Porter Generic Strategies Theory. The study will adopt both cross-sectional research design and descriptive survey design. This study targets 19,708 small and medium enterprises located at the Central Business District of Mombasa City County. A sample size of 202 small and medium enterprises will be selected for the study where the units of the study will be business owners/managers. Structured questionnaires will be used to collect primary data. The data collected will be analyzed using SPSS and the specific statistics will be descriptive and inferential statistics. The results will be displayed on charts, tables and graphs. Multivariate regression model and path analysis technique will be used to show the relationship between the independent variables to the dependent variable.

Penetration of small and medium sized food companies on foreign markets

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun201058030157 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

pp. 157-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ladislav Mura ◽

Veronika Gašparíková

Keyword(s):

Global Economy ◽

Business Environment ◽

Foreign Markets ◽

Current Trends ◽

Trading Activities ◽

Medium Enterprises ◽

Almost All ◽

National Economies ◽

Food Complex

In the world the interconnection of national economies and internationalization of economic processes occur. In turbulent changing business environment only those companies that understand the current trends in global economy may survive, develop and prosper. Therefore, the issue of internationalization for most companies becomes to be more important and the process of internationalization is the way how to stand this increasingly competitive environment. In presented contribution, the attention is paid to issues of internationalization of Slovak food industry enterprises such as their way of business internationalization, percentage share of foreign - trading activities on overall business activity, company evaluation of business internationalization or barriers of foreign markets penetration that researched companies have to deal with. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the engine of the Slovak economy, generator of development, innovation, growth and they employ more than 60% of employees. Almost all businesses operating in agri-food complex have character of small and medium enterprises. The results of carried research have shown that small and medium-sized companies are considered to be successful in operation on foreign markets in surrounding European countries.

Advances in Business Information Systems and Analytics - Enterprise Information Systems for Business Integration in SMEs ◽

ERP Systems Supporting Lean Manufacturing in SMEs

10.4018/978-1-60566-892-5.ch005 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 56-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Pritish Halgeri ◽

Roger McHaney ◽

Z. J. Pei

Keyword(s):

Enterprise Resource Planning ◽

Lean Manufacturing ◽

Global Economy ◽

Production Control ◽

Rapid Change ◽

Resource Planning ◽

Erp Systems ◽

Software Modules ◽

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), more than ever, are being forced to compete in a global economy with increasingly complex challenges. This new economy has forced SMEs to become more responsive and agile in operational, tactical and strategic areas while requiring thoughtful integration between business functions and manufacturing/ production/ service operations. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Lean manufacturing are two production control methodologies that have been implemented in various ways. In early incarnations, ERP systems were considered a hindrance to Lean manufacturing efforts and were criticized for encouraging large inventories and slower production. The explosive growth of e-business methodologies and the resulting pressure to become nimble and embrace rapid change forced many SMEs to rethink their production approaches, particularly in regard to where they stand in relation to these two methodologies. Over time, ERP vendors recognized the power and advantages of Lean manufacturing and developed ways to incorporate Lean-related features into their software. The main objective of this chapter is to explore how ERP and Lean methodologies can coexist in SMEs. The chapter discusses misconceptions about the fit between ERP and Lean then summarizes differences and synergies between the two methodologies. The chapter emphasizes how linking ERP and Lean methods can lead to competitive advantage then explores key Lean toolsets available in leading ERP systems used by SMEs. Further focus is provided with additional insight on several leading ERP vendors offering Lean-enabled software modules. These include Oracle, TTW WinMan and Pelion Systems.

ERP Systems Supporting Lean Manufacturing in SMEs

Enterprise Information Systems ◽

10.4018/978-1-61692-852-0.ch416 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1121-1140 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pritish Halgeri ◽

Roger McHaney ◽

Z. J. Pei

Keyword(s):

Enterprise Resource Planning ◽

Lean Manufacturing ◽

Global Economy ◽

Production Control ◽

Rapid Change ◽

Resource Planning ◽

Erp Systems ◽

Software Modules ◽

The Critical Review on the Adoption of ICTs in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Developing Countries

International Journal of Small and Medium Enterprises ◽

10.46281/ijsmes.v2i2.437 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 33-40

Author(s):

Nasser Saif Al Busaidi ◽

Abul Bashar Bhuiyan ◽

Norhayah Zulkifli

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Success Factors ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Business Environment ◽

Management Skills ◽

Critical Success ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Business Competitiveness ◽

The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are considered as the mainstay of the economy, whereas the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is regarded as unitary of the major drivers for SMEs. The function of the ICT is to ensure that as far as the organizations are concerned, their strategy and design, innovation of new products, services, processes, productivity, expansion of market size, improvement of product qualities, enhancement of performance and, development, as well as supporting business competitiveness can be executed accordingly. However, debates about the efficient uses of ICTs by SMEs in developing nations are being discussed and reported widely. Therefore, this study analyzes the critical success factors on the ICTs adoption in the SMEs globally focusing on Oman. Questionnaire survey is conducted among the managers of the SMEs. It is found that the effective adoption of ICTs in the SMEs is caused by a number of success factors including among others limited access to markets and, finance, lack of awareness to global markets, unfriendly business environment, poor management skills and lack of updated technology. complication of the bureaucracy process, as well as lack of training relating to basic business.